Occupied Palestinian Territory, Democratic Republic of the Congo

OCHA warns that the operation by Israeli forces in the northern West Bank continues to have dire humanitarian consequences.

In Tulkarm, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports that the Israeli authorities have started demolishing more than 16 buildings in Nur Shams refugee camp, after destroying more than two dozen homes in the area over the past week.

Demolitions in the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps taking place while most of the camps’ residents – tens of thousands of people – are displaced and unable to return.

Displaced Palestinians staying at public shelters in Jenin and Tulkarm lack water, medicine, bedding, sanitation facilities, and hygiene and cleaning materials. This is according to a new assessment by OCHA, UNRWA and its partners last week of nearly a dozen public shelters. Less than half of the people our teams interviewed said they could afford food, with many reducing or skipping meals. Children are also unable to attend school.

Since the start of the operation by Israeli forces in January, the UN and its partners have been providing life-saving assistance to affected people. Food parcels and meals distributed to families every day. More than 5,000 families have received cash assistance to help meet their basic needs. Bedding and dignity kits have been provided. Water storage tanks and mobile latrines have also delivered to Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas.

Meanwhile, access restrictions continue to hinder Palestinians’ movement across the West Bank. OCHA reports that the closure of the Tayaseer checkpoint since February has restricted the movement of more than 60,000 Palestinians between the northern Jordan Valley and the rest of Tubas governorate. Access to markets, workplaces and services has severely constrained.

Today is the first Friday of Ramadan

– and access restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities have prevented thousands of Palestinian worshipers from reaching holy sites. While the Israeli authorities have allowed Palestinians access to East Jerusalem and the H2 area of Hebron, they have imposed restrictions based on age and gender, with the condition that people entering East Jerusalem possess Israeli-issued permits. Israeli authorities have also set up hundreds of metal barriers to tightly control people’s movements.

OCHA has deployed teams to monitor people’s movements through the checkpoints to identify potential protection risks and possible measures for Palestinians seeking to cross, with particular attention to the most vulnerable such as children, pregnant women and older people. Initial information indicates fewer people crossed and fewer checkpoints opened this year, compared with Fridays in 2024.

Meanwhile, OCHA that it has almost one week since the crossings into the Gaza Strip closed, preventing aid from entering – with dire consequences for civilians who have endured months of immense suffering.

It is critical that humanitarian assistance allowed to enter the Strip without delay. Under international humanitarian law, Israel, as the occupying power, required to ensure that people’s essential needs met, including by facilitating aid into and across all areas of Gaza.

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